Ram with 5.9L 360

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Pondering buying my father-in-laws used 1998 Ram with the 360 engine. ANy known problems with this engine, so far he has had zero issues. Thanks in advance.
 
I have a 99 Dodge Dakota R/T with a 360 magnum.
**** stout lil engine.....We have the Jeep H/C and K&N CAI on it...just screams....very tight engine.....I put a Perma Cool Oil cooler and dual oil filter (relocation) kit on it also.....very good engine.....
 
Gasket issues and gearing for the oil pump drive. The new Hemi was their way of getting around all the gasket problems their V8 engines have had since the the begining. They are notorius for belly pan gaskets,intake manifold gaskets and cylinder head gasket leaks! So expect to replace the gaskets at some point! The upside is their are all kinds of HP parts and for them!
 
A friend of mine has a 98 5.9, and his pings like crazy. He took it to the dealership 3 times, twice they rebuilt the engine to try to resolve the pinging issue. They told him that there was nothing they could do, because the 360 is the same design now as it was back in the the 60's, and in order to make it meet emissions standards Dodge had to lean it out (which caused the pinging). The only way to circumvent the pinging was to use premium unleaded, especially if using it to tow. If you tow a boat or any semi heavy load it will ping like crazy, even on 93 octane. Also he said the fact they leaned it out causes the gas mileage to go
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. He averaged about 15 maybe, and that's mostly highway without a load. I know trucks aren't exactly fuel efficient, but he said that was rediculous. Just my (his) 2 cents. Again, this isn't coming from me, he knows a thing or two about cars. It might sound far fetched, but I know he's pretty mechanically savvy...
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quote:

Originally posted by bighead:
A friend of mine has a 98 5.9, and his pings like crazy. He took it to the dealership 3 times, twice they rebuilt the engine to try to resolve the pinging issue. They told him that there was nothing they could do, because the 360 is the same design now as it was back in the the 60's, and in order to make it meet emissions standards Dodge had to lean it out

that's BS... the smallblock Chevy's basic design dates to 1955... pinging is a spark/fuel management problem, not an engine architecture problem.



quote:


(which caused the pinging). The only way to circumvent the pinging was to use premium unleaded, especially if using it to tow. If you tow a boat or any semi heavy load it will ping like crazy, even on 93 octane. Also he said the fact they leaned it out causes the gas mileage to go
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how exactly does leaning (i.e. less gas, more air) out the F/A mix kill your gas mileage?


quote:


. He averaged about 15 maybe, and that's mostly highway without a load. I know trucks aren't exactly fuel efficient,
sounds about right for a dodge 360. my mother used to have a '88 Dodge 250 van w/ a 318 in it. she'd have jumped for joy for 15MPG


quote:


but he said that was rediculous.
6 MPG is rediculous, 15 isn't all that bad, esp if it's a 4x4 2500/3500, which are quite heavy and tall.

-Bret
 
These trucks have major problems with cavitation and or Electrolosis in the cooling systems.

Odd that the older carburated 318/360's did not.
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The timing cover behind the waterpump is usually the 1st victim. It gets pitted and leaks coolant into the engine. Even more fun when the 4 long bolts that go through the W/P and timing cover break off.

The 2nd victim is the radiator it's self.

Lately I've been getting 2-3 of the mid/late 90's trucks a week with cavitation erosion or electrolosis problems. One of the radiator shop magazines we recieve had a article about the problem with these trucks last year.

I've tried grounding the radiator to the body, grounding the engine to the rad etc. The last one I had in the shop I removed all the ground wires for the trucks electronics, wire brushed them clean, removed any paint from where they go and reinstalled them. I Have not heard back from the owner as to if I fixed his electrolosis problem.........yet.

This particular truck was eating A new radiator Every 2-3 weeks!

IMHO I feel that somewhere in the wireing a ground gets too much resistance and the currant finds another path...........Through the coolant causing the problems.
 
On a 98 Durango, with the 360, we had problems with the fuel injectors. My mechanic explained it to me as the fuel rail design is metal and is designed to not completely circulate the fuel. So, if some bad gas, with water, gets in there, it could allow rust to move over to the injectors, plugging them. Seemed at the time, far fetched, but he replaced the injectors and cleaned the fuel tank/lines and have not had trouble since, so I guess he knows. And yes, I think the intake manifold gaskets had to be replaced also, as another poster mentioned.
 
The 5.9L delivers nice lowend and midrange torque but it's a complete dog in terms of Horsepower. 260 at the flywheel out of 5.9L's! The SOHC 4.6L Ford V8 makes 260 flywheel for comparison. There are alot of aftermarket parts available however.
 
In the ram application the 5.9 delivers 245 hp and 335 ft lbs of torque.
The dakota rt and durango rt produce 250 hp with the 5.9.
It isent really that bad from a power stand point as the 5.4 fords from 99 through 03 make 260hp. The f150s with the 4.6 make anywhere from 215 to 231 hp depending on year.
The 4.6 sohc only makes 260hp in the mustang application.
 
Very nice engines, 250K miles no issues if maintained.

Week spot is the belly pan gasket. Look down the TB and if their is oily residue, then it needs a gasket. If the gasket does fail, oil gets sucked in to the combustion chambers and carbons them up and results in the pinging.

Other than that no major isues. Common mods are M1 intakes, headers, duals and MP computers. Hp 235-250, TQ 335-345 ft-lbs respectable #'s for truck engines.

VNT
 
i wouldnt worry much at all aobut the engine, but the tranny backing them is another story.
 
The 318/360 design dates from about 1967; the 360 itself showed up in the early seventies.

These have always been extremely stout engines, generally outlasting any comparable Ford or Chevy, needing only rings and valve job to go yet another 150k. The 318 is overmatched by the weight of the vehicle compared to the more ordinary, lighter trucks of that earlier era. The 360 is the ideal motor.

As to horsepower, so what? It's only a derivative of torque, and that is the only thing that matters in a truck. Where it peaks in the rpm band, and how well the truck is geared/tire-matched is what matters. The 360 is just fine.

The intake manifold gasket is, as mentioned, a problem. Plenty of quality aftermarket fixes (APS PRECISION, HUGHES ENGINES among others) and the factory has issued a revised, higher quality replacement.

The transmission, a late variant of the 727 3-speed, is also a stout piece when properly maintained. Chryslers' design was superior to the GM and FORD autos; get it serviced properly, band adjustment and fluid change annually ; consider a TRANSGO shift kit and a stacked-plate auxiliary cooler plus an auxiliary filter. Use only MOPAR ATF+4 or a high quality synthetic or semisynthetic ATF. (I'm now using SCHAEFFERS 204-Supreme and a MAGNEFINE filter). Many of us leave overdrive off under 50 mph, and I believe that any idling should be done in Neutral (as with wifes JEEP AW-4) so as to have fluid pumping throughout trans. If you rebuild it, then have them go to the 47RH specs (diesel).

I bought one last fall with 86k on it. Used LUBE CONTROL (LC-20) first 6k with dino and BALDWIN B2-HPG. Now on rinse phase of ARX treatment (same filter type and DELO 10W-30); after an LC "Mola-soak".

With new plugs/wires/cap/rotor, idle is glass-smooth at 95k. I fully expect another 100k with no problems. Cooling and HVAC will be gone through this or next season as I believe that any vehicle needs this system overhauled at 6-7 years; plus timing chain will be replaced with best quality aftermarket.

Fuel mileage has been 13+ in-town, and 16+ on highway for this '01 2WD Quadcab, 3.55 with 245/75-16's (though all service has not yet been performed; I'll find additional improvements as I go along as EPA was 13/17 which I fully expect to beat. I'll change from stock exhaust to custom free-flowing -- emissions-legal -- and modify air intake).

As to fuel-related problems, I've been using FUEL POWER (FP-60) and 87-octane gas with no indication of preignition. FP-60 is by far the best, least expensive fuel additive I've ever tried. Truck definitely has more pep than when purchased, and I don't ever have to worry about "bad" gas with FP-60.

DODGETALK and DODGETRUCKS.ORG are decent sites to check for others experiences.

All brands have problems. Just search them out, correct them before they go wrong; plan for other ones and enjoy it, don't worry over it.

I'd be glad to have any quality FORD, DODGE, CHEV truck. Happens that I like Mopar best, but bought the truck because of the fears of others: the mileage (fuel and odo) and thus was able to get an option-loaded problem-free truck for only a little over wholesale auction price. Literally, one-third the new price. (Depreciation? Who cares!? Gas mileage? Completely irrelevant! Do the math.)

I'll go through every system -- systematically -- correcting deficencies, upgrading where indicated, and drive this thing till it has another 100k or health deteriorates just too far.

And as I can't afford -- literally -- to be stranded (health) you can take my experience as a guide: Fix what needs it, plan on reasonable replacement schedule before things break, drive it till it croaks (300k and one tranny if you're careful), and never look back.

And, as other posts have mentioned, there is an enormous wealth of aftermarket upgrades and highly experienced shops dealing with these last of the golden era drivetrains. The latest and greatest is wonderful stuff (whoa, five and six speed autos, OHC engines . . . just don't ask me to foot the repair bill). Could be the 360/727 is the last of the reasonably affordable drivetrains.
 
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